AFR 229 Restoring Justice: Making Peace and Resolving Conflict

3 hours 

This course will focus on examples of restorative justice from Africa and the Pacific Islands, a seldom-considered part of the African diaspora. To that end, this course will explore how an African philosophy of ubuntu (or humanity towards others) influences Africa's notions of justice community and suffering. Comparisons will be drawn with traditional Western views of restorative justice. Unlike the traditional justice system found in the U.S. and in other parts of the world that focus on punishing criminal behavior restorative justice mirrors the way that disputes are settled in tribes - offenders make amends not only to victims but their communities.